Public art projects provide opportunities for students to engage in and learn through and about cultural diversity, history, teamwork, community, belonging, respect, planning and development, environmental issues, language and pride (Hoffie, 1998).

]]>https://mikaelagreaney.wordpress.com/2008/11/29/what-benefits-might-school-students-gain-from-participating-in-a-publiccommunity-art-project/feed/0pokadotstripe8What is your view about the “Saint” on Castle Hill? Is this public Art or Graffiti and should it remain?https://mikaelagreaney.wordpress.com/2008/11/29/what-is-your-view-about-the-saint-on-castle-hill-is-this-public-art-or-graffiti-and-should-it-remain/
https://mikaelagreaney.wordpress.com/2008/11/29/what-is-your-view-about-the-saint-on-castle-hill-is-this-public-art-or-graffiti-and-should-it-remain/#respondSat, 29 Nov 2008 11:45:50 +0000http://mikaelagreaney.wordpress.com/?p=198]]>

Whilst the saint originated as a prank from a group of James Cook University students it has now become a city icon pictured on the front of the telephone book, used as JCU pins and featuring in a number of local business advertisements. The saint is even commented on throughout many Townsville tourist sites.

Below is an article from 2001 outlining the public’s opinion…

Public response backs Townsville’s saint.

The Saint – a matchstick graffiti figure dominating the Townsville landscape from atop Castle Hill in the city’s centre – should stay, according to submissions to the Queensland Heritage Council.

The Heritage Council has received an application from the Townsville City Council to remove the five-metre-high painting, inspired by the symbol used in the Lesley Charteris books of that name.

But the figure forms part of the heritage listing of Castle Hill in the Queensland Heritage Register, which is administered on behalf of the Queensland Heritage Council by the Environmental Protection Agency.

EPA Cultural Heritage Unit Acting Manager Ray Osborne said the Heritage Council consequently invited the public to express its views on the proposal to remove The Saint, estimated to be about 35 years old.

“There may be one or two more submissions still in the pipeline, but so far we have received seven, including one petition of 66 signatures,” Mr Osborne said.

“Only one believes The Saint should be removed. The remainder all wholeheartedly wants to keep it.”

The only submission opposing the Saint’s retention said: “… international visitors and interstate visitors must consider Townsville community thinking in this day and age, when presented with such an obvious in-your-face piece of graffiti.”

Pro-Saint comments include:

“… sacred site [that] should remain untouched by our [City] Council.”

“… a significant feature of the local cultural landscape, having social, historical and aesthetic significance to members of the local community.”

“A prominent legal firm, established in Townsville in 1890, features the cliff face with “The Saint” in a current television advertisement.”

“… continues to play a significant role in defining Townsville’s community identity.”

“This icon is a tourist attraction and is often used in tourist promotions.”

“… to remove “The Saint” would be cultural vandalism.”

“The Queensland Heritage Council Development Committee is expected to consider the Townsville City Council application in the light of these submissions at its next meeting, on Thursday, January 17,” Mr Osborne said.

Released by: Environmental Protection Agency

I think that the ‘saint’ began as graffiti but the meaning people have given to the saint and they way in which the saint now represents Townsville an icon has evolved it into public art. I think that it is up to the public to decide if they want the saint to stay or go. Personally I have never seen the hill without this icon and could not imagine it without it.

]]>https://mikaelagreaney.wordpress.com/2008/11/29/what-is-your-view-about-the-saint-on-castle-hill-is-this-public-art-or-graffiti-and-should-it-remain/feed/0pokadotstripe8How Much Sway Should Public Opinion Hold in the Kinds of Public art Installed in our Environment? Who Should Have the Most Say in What is Funded and Installed?https://mikaelagreaney.wordpress.com/2008/11/29/how-much-sway-should-public-opinion-hold-in-the-kinds-of-public-art-installed-in-our-environment-who-should-have-the-most-say-in-what-is-funded-and-installed/
https://mikaelagreaney.wordpress.com/2008/11/29/how-much-sway-should-public-opinion-hold-in-the-kinds-of-public-art-installed-in-our-environment-who-should-have-the-most-say-in-what-is-funded-and-installed/#respondSat, 29 Nov 2008 11:44:01 +0000http://mikaelagreaney.wordpress.com/?p=195]]>I think the public should have the most say in what is funded and installed as the art as the name suggests should belong to the public. In reality I as a member of the public have never been asked for an opinion and think that really it comes down to the people with the money who want to make more money who decide on public art pieces. ]]>https://mikaelagreaney.wordpress.com/2008/11/29/how-much-sway-should-public-opinion-hold-in-the-kinds-of-public-art-installed-in-our-environment-who-should-have-the-most-say-in-what-is-funded-and-installed/feed/0pokadotstripe8Do you think local artists or outsiders should be commissioned to create public art in this region?https://mikaelagreaney.wordpress.com/2008/11/29/do-you-think-local-artists-or-outsiders-should-be-commissioned-to-create-public-art-in-this-region/
https://mikaelagreaney.wordpress.com/2008/11/29/do-you-think-local-artists-or-outsiders-should-be-commissioned-to-create-public-art-in-this-region/#respondSat, 29 Nov 2008 11:38:28 +0000http://mikaelagreaney.wordpress.com/?p=190]]>I believe that public art should represent the beliefs issues and joint construction of the public and therefore think local artists should be considered before outsiders to create works for their community.

Hoffie (1998) suggests that local artists are essential in planning areas that mean something to the community; they are better positioned to understand the subtleties and nuances of an area in contrast to an outsider, who may be reduced to stereotypes and generalisations in their portrayal of a place.

Using local artists to capture the local community also seems to make economic sense and positions the local artist well instead of inferior to the outside artist.

BUT … a community should not turn their back on outside artists completely their input could be valuable and along with community input could be very refreshing to a communities identity.

Students make and display images and objects to reflect an understanding of the functions and purposes of public and community art.

• identifying and interpreting images and objects in a community context

• reflecting understanding of local area and community artists/designers/ craftspeople

• observations of, and making images and objects for, natural and built environments.

• making folios/journals that visually explore possible solutions to questions

• developing innovative and personal responses to tasks designed by themselves or a teacher

• researching ideas to individually and collaboratively make images and objects, experience displays and exhibitions and appraise their own and others’ artworks

• collaborating with peers to make and display images and objects for a natural or built environment utilising characteristics of the selected space and place

The function and purpose of public art:

• identify public sculptures/murals/installations, etc. in their local communities and analyse the work in relation to the context in which it is seen

• display their images and objects and consider how meaning is constructed and may change according to

the context of the informal and formal display e.g. in personal, public and community contexts.

• collaboratively design and make an aerosol art mural to reflect youth cultures in their community

• design images and objects for a particular space and place in their local community considering or challenging what is valued and accepted as public art

• identify public displays within their community contexts to analyse the use of space and location

]]>https://mikaelagreaney.wordpress.com/2008/11/29/which-qsa-va-outcomes-specifically-recommend-publiccommunityart-involvement/feed/0pokadotstripe8What is a Question about public art or community art which comes from your investigation?https://mikaelagreaney.wordpress.com/2008/11/29/what-is-a-question-about-public-art-or-community-art-which-comes-from-your-investigation/
https://mikaelagreaney.wordpress.com/2008/11/29/what-is-a-question-about-public-art-or-community-art-which-comes-from-your-investigation/#respondSat, 29 Nov 2008 11:34:58 +0000http://mikaelagreaney.wordpress.com/?p=184]]>

Would the water park be considered public art?

I myself define public art in a very broad way … I would say that the water park IS public art. It is interactive, designed to bring people together and the community were engaged in developing the idea of the water park. I think the water park is a perfect piece of public art for hot and humid Townsville.

The issuses sourrounding the water park include: saftey (with slides being removed due to injuries, sutainability – water usage, hours of operation and supervision provided.)

Vandalism – a drunk driver ran into the wall the wall no longer exists

Toddler Totem Trails

Three parks in Townsville – Vincent, Garbet

JCU students

Clay , imprinting, mixed media add on

Vandalism – already two incidents since the completion of the project.

Power Polls

Throughout Townsville

TAFE students

Paint

Vandalism

Well travelled trunks

James Cook University – western campus

JCU students

Mosaic, mixed media

Up keep – these have partly been removed now, they became quite scruffy with no upkeep.

]]>https://mikaelagreaney.wordpress.com/2008/11/29/exploring-public-art-in-our-local-community/feed/0pokadotstripe8The Most Successful example of public art i have seen…https://mikaelagreaney.wordpress.com/2008/09/02/the-most-successful-example-of-public-art-i-have-seen/
https://mikaelagreaney.wordpress.com/2008/09/02/the-most-successful-example-of-public-art-i-have-seen/#respondTue, 02 Sep 2008 03:32:46 +0000http://mikaelagreaney.wordpress.com/?p=95]]>Lawrence Argent: I See What You Mean

I found the most amazing part of this project was how they installed it – watch the quick video below !

Denver Office of Cultural Affairs’ Public Art Program announces the installation of the much anticipated public artwork by Lawrence Argent entitled I See What You Mean, a 40-foot tall, blue bear, at the Colorado Convention Center.

The artist has described I See What You Mean as a stylized representation of native fauna. As the bear peeks inside the enormous facility at the conventioneers, displacement and wonder pique curiosity and question a greater relationship of art, technology and whimsy.

“My public artworks are part of a larger whole,” stated Lawrence Argent. “I am an artist that utilizes assorted mediums and venues to engage the viewer in questioning the assumed and provide a vehicle by which stimulus opens a plethora of responses that defy verbal articulation.”

I really like this piece its different evokes thought and is fun!

]]>https://mikaelagreaney.wordpress.com/2008/09/02/the-most-successful-example-of-public-art-i-have-seen/feed/0pokadotstripe8Kinds of outdoor art works our region could have more of…https://mikaelagreaney.wordpress.com/2008/09/02/kinds-of-outdoor-art-works-our-region-could-have-more-of/
https://mikaelagreaney.wordpress.com/2008/09/02/kinds-of-outdoor-art-works-our-region-could-have-more-of/#respondTue, 02 Sep 2008 03:31:37 +0000http://mikaelagreaney.wordpress.com/?p=93]]>I think we need more interactive public art which encourages families to engage in outdoor physical activity or family orientated fun. ]]>https://mikaelagreaney.wordpress.com/2008/09/02/kinds-of-outdoor-art-works-our-region-could-have-more-of/feed/0pokadotstripe8Who should benefit the most from public art works?https://mikaelagreaney.wordpress.com/2008/09/02/who-should-benefit-the-most-from-public-art-works/
https://mikaelagreaney.wordpress.com/2008/09/02/who-should-benefit-the-most-from-public-art-works/#respondTue, 02 Sep 2008 03:28:23 +0000http://mikaelagreaney.wordpress.com/?p=90]]>Hoffie, (1998) describes the installation of art in a public place is the responsibility of the public, who must live with it. Therefore public art must be suitable for the community in terms of content, safety, materials and must be respectful to those who live in the community.Lippard (2001) also describes the importance of the community being involved and benefitting from public art.

Knights states that it is important that the artist, community and the environment benefit from public art.

Artist: chance to extend their practice through collaboration with architects landscape designers and other interested parties and also gives them the opportunity to place their work in sites that would ordinarily be unavailable for artwork.

Community: creates a focus for the community, enrich the cultural environment of a suburb, facilitate community acceptance of new buildings or places, and discourages graffiti.

Environment: the environment needs to be considered in terms of location, meaning of piece, media used.